Money
Frugality and Self-deprivation do not have the same meaning. You can be frugal without sacrificing your happiness. But when you deprive yourself of the best quality of life, you probably live life unhappy.
Being frugal can help you achieve a better financial status in life. Whenever you find ways to save money or get more value at a lower price, but you are still able to fulfill your needs and wants without hurting your finances, you’re still able to live the best life while spending less than you used to be.
But sometimes, some strategies are not enjoyable anymore. There will be some times that you have to give up something more valuable in exchange for happiness in just a matter of time. And in the end, you regret and find yourself miserable by doing it.
If you go in too deep with frugality, you find yourself depressed and often doing the frugal changes in your life with a heavy heart. When you manage to cross over to the line of self-deprivation, you will see frugality in a negative light.
In this post, we will show you real-life situations when you can be frugal without sacrificing the things that make you happy:
Being frugal with food
Weaving frugality into your eating habits does not mean eating cheap Chinese dim sum in your every meal. For example, when you are in a restaurant, you can order an appetizer for sharing and stick with water. You get to be happy by eating your favorite food but you don’t need that extra lemon cucumber shake just to be satisfied. We are not saying to deprive yourself of a delicious drink but you don’t have to order it every single time. Don’t deny yourself to enjoy a lovely restaurant just because you want to save more money. What we are saying is you don’t have to eat in a restaurant all by yourself, sharing meals with your friends can be good for the social aspect of your life. You don’t have to order a whole appetizer for yourself, you can order something good for 3 and just order water.
Being frugal with groceries
If you have a budget for groceries, stick to it. You can do cost-cutting by buying meat in bulk then stock up your freezer with what you can cook. Make it a habit to bring a list with you at the groceries and make sure not to buy things that are not part of that list. You can also look for apps such as iBotta to get some cashback on selected purchases.
Being frugal with alcohol
If you are used to drinking alcohol frequently, there is no need to go into a bar every night to do that. If you are looking for social interaction, you can go to a bar at least twice a month. But, if you are looking to get drunk, the bar is not the place for that.
If you want to avoid high priced bills at the bar, consider stocking up on some liquor at home. Another option is, you can drink a couple of beers before heading out to the bar. But do not drive if you get some shots with a few beers or any liquor drink. Just call Uber or Lyft so you can go home safe and sound.
Being frugal when traveling
If you are someone who likes to travel but wants to practice frugality, you can figure out several ways to do the same things that make you happy cost-effectively.
Take advantage of travel rewards. You will be surprised how much money you can save when you use your travel rewards. If you are looking for accommodation, you do not have to stay at a fancy hotel like The Four Seasons and spend more than $300 a night unless you have acquired a quick payday loan from a reliable licensed moneylender like cash mart. You can opt for Airbnb, one of the best home-sharing platforms or Homestay.
Frugality can still be fun!
Frugality and happiness can co-exist. When you follow these tips, you would not feel deprived in any way. You just now have a different perspective on how to get the most out of life without breaking the bank.
Honestly, it is all about making some small adjustments and becoming more intentional about your choices that makes it all different. As we have mentioned some tips here in this post, these are great techniques on how you can help yourself save thousands of dollars each year.
We may not have the step-by-step frugal tips here, but we have emphasized how you can live a happy life without denying yourself the things that make you happy. We hope that you take note of these tips and apply them to your daily life.
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